The visual phonology theory

The visual phonology theory suggests that the way words look—such as their spelling and letter patterns—provides visual cues to help us understand pronunciation and sound structure. Essentially, our brain recognizes visual patterns in written language that correspond to sounds, aiding in decoding unfamiliar words. This theory emphasizes that reading is not only about translating letters into sounds but also involves visual recognition of patterns that guide pronunciation and understanding, bridging visual recognition with phonological processes in the mind.